South Atlantic Fishery Bulletin

Commercial Harvest of Atlantic Group Cobia (Georgia to New York) Will Close in Federal Waters on September 5, 2017

WHAT/WHEN:

Commercial harvest of Atlantic group cobia (Georgia to New York) will close in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2017. Commercial harvest will reopen in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2018.

WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:

The 2017 commercial annual catch limit is 50,000 pounds round or gutted weight. NOAA Fisheries projects the 2017 cobia annual catch limit for the commercial sector has been reached based on reported landings to date and landings that are expected to be reported by dealers that do not have a federal dealer permit.

This closure is necessary to protect the Atlantic cobia resource by minimizing the amount that commercial landings exceed the commercial annual catch limit.

DURING THE CLOSURE:

The operator of a vessel that is landing cobia for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such cobia prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 5, 2017. The prohibition on sale and purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of cobia that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time) September 5, 2017, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

The possession limit for recreational Atlantic migratory group cobia in federal waters is zero for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year.

NOAA Fisheries closed the recreational sector for Atlantic migratory group cobia in federal waters on January 24, 2017.